Before You Move - How to Choose a Safe Neighborhood

So you’re considering buying a home and want to ensure that you are moving into a safe neighborhood. Opinions on what makes a neighborhood appealing can vary — some individuals prefer an established neighborhood vs. a newer subdivision, some look for convenience and accessibility to shops and restaurants, while others base their decision on the school districts. Yet, when it comes to safety, there’s widespread agreement that a safer neighborhood is always the better choice. Here are some sites that can help you assess the safety of a community before moving in with your family.

1)      Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Data Explorer

-This site is best for a broader search area rather than for a specific address. The data is categorized by crime type, including violent crimes, hate crimes, property crimes, and arrests.

2)      Life360

-A phone app with several safety features including location services, ID theft coverage, credit monitoring, data breaches, and more. There are other options available for a fee.

3)      AreaVibes

-According to serioushomesecurity.com, ‘AreaVibes is an excellent resource for finding information about a neighborhood. The 100-point liveability score will give you an overview of what matters most to you.’

4)      Ozzi

-It includes safety alerts, area ratings, and global safety heatmaps that pinpoint regions with elevated levels of crime, violence, and natural disaster risk.Top of FormBottom of Form

5)      The Neighbors App

-A free downloadable app that can be used with any device or security system you have. Katie McEntire of safewise.com writes, ‘Some neighborhoods use the app to band together and keep safe during natural disasters or organize neighborhood watches.’

6)      Family Watchdog

-This is a free service. It lists addresses of sex offenders in your area or near your children’s school. An alert option is available should an offender move into your neighborhood.

7)      SpotCrime

-According to McEntire, this is the ‘most user-friendly tool – giving you a quick look at crime information in your neighborhood. Crimes are represented by icons that make it easy to see what activity takes place in your neighborhood’.

While these tools provide useful information and keep you updated on potential crime issues in an area, there are several things you can do and take note of when considering the safety of a neighborhood.  For instance-

·       Speak with a real estate agent.

·       Visit the neighborhood firsthand, both in the daytime and at night.

·       Is there adequate street lighting?

·       Are there abandoned storefronts?

·       Attend community events or visit a local religious center.

·       Take note of who is outside.

·       Strike up a conversation with someone in the neighborhood.

·       Trust your intuition.

By following the simple and practical tips in this article, you can feel more assured about the safety of  you and your family when choosing your next neighborhood.

Sandi Downing Real Estate/Keller Williams

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